2025-03-31-accounts - Brixham Theatre CIO

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Brixham Theatre CIO Annual Report to Members 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025

Annual Report to Members for the period 1st April 2024 – 31st March 2025

Charity name: Brixham Theatre CIO Other name the charity uses: BTCIO Registered charity number: 1178208 Charity’s principal address: Brixham Theatre Brixham Town Hall New Road Brixham Devon TQ5 8TA

Brixham Theatre is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). It conforms to the national regulations of The

The Charity’s Main Objectives as cited in its governing document are:

(A) to promote public appreciation of the performing and visual arts (including, drama, music and dance,

(B) to advance the education of the public in the knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the performing and visual arts (including, drama, music and dance, performances and exhibitions) in particular, but not exclusively, by encouraging and facilitating the practice of performing arts among children and young people by the provision of workshops.

The Theatre occupies, as a tenant, premises owned by Brixham Town Council. Whilst the Theatre holds its own policies and risk assessments, it operates within the rules, regulations and guidance in operation for the Town Hall complex as a whole.

Trustees

Trustees who managed the charity from April 2024 were:

1 Claire Carter as Chair
2 Ian Munro as Vice Chair
3 Dot Vickery
4 Julie Munro
5 Chris Jones
6 Vanessa Fitzgerald
7 Phil Vickery
8 John Bennett from November 2024
9 Rachel Thomas from March 2025

Members will need to vote on the new Trustee body for 2025-26 at the AGM. This past year has seen much more stability on the Trustee board with seven trustees completing 12 months and two new trustess adding to the numbers and spreading the load: John Bennett (who many of you will have seen on the stage) plus our Treasurer Rachel Thomas.

A voting slip is attached should you be unable to attend the meeting in person.

Report prepared by Claire Carter as Chair and approved by the Trustees on 10th June 2025.

Chair's Report

Community engagement and capital improvements have been the focal points of Brixham Theatre CIO for the 2024/25 year.

Following several successive years of increased revenue from a much more diverse range of events, we have been fortunate to reach a healthy level of reserve funds and the confidence to invest for the future, both in monetary terms and our time and resources.

For local groups and organisations, including schools, we have been able to give talks and workshops as well as free or subsidised hire charges.

We are also working in partnership with other community groups on projects such as the Festival of Arts for Brixham and we are working on strengthening support for our youth theatre group Dramatically Different.

With additional grants received and other internal fundraising initiatives, we have been able to complete our National Theatre Live & Cinema Project, bringing West End shows to the heart of Brixham, and refurbish all 256 of our historic seats in a majestic red burgandy velvet. The auditorium is now looking quite splendid!

Our NTL project srtated last year with a £2,000 grant from Brixham Chamber of Commerce for 5.1 surround sound.

This year we received another £2,000 from The Lewis Trust and Brixham Town Council plus more than £6,000 in total from Project X, our fabulous adult am dram group, which donates all the proceeds from their shows.

We now have a new screen and an 8.500 lumen laser projector to give the best picture quality and look forward to putting on many more screenings in 2025/26.

After spending almost £40,000 refurbishing our seats, we were heartened that so many theatre members, individuals and businesses heeded our call for support and have sponsored more than half of our seats already. Plaques can be inscribed with the name of your choice and seats are still available to purchase!

Our income has also been helped by yet another yearly increase in memberships, Pete's legendary membership raffles and Laraine's hard work as Bar Manager.

For the current year we are planning to do much more support for the community, in particular our youth theatre group. Our future ambitions are constrained by the availability of volunteers, particularly for Duty Managers, the Tech Team and Social Media, so we are always looking for ways to bolster these areas and are keen to hear any suggestions from our members!

Claire Carter

Chair of Trustees

Treasurer's Report

Our attached year-end accounts have been signed off by Independent Examiners, Accounting & General Ltd, and the accounts and bank balance reflect another positive and successful year.

Our bank balance increased from £33,427 to £37,484 at the end of March 2025, even with £10,099 spent on capital expenditure for the purchase of the new projector, with the help of £4,000 in grants from The Lewis Trust and Brixham Town Council.

This is part of a much larger NT Live & Cinema project which we started last year. In 2023/24 we added a 5.1 surround sound system following a £2,000 grant from Brixham Chamber of Commerce and later in the year a new screen following fundraising by our in-house amateur dramatic group Project X. The projector is the third and final stage of the project

Also, the successful refurbishment of the auditorium seating, if not for the generous sponsorships and the energies of those putting this in place, this would of not of been possible, in which we thank you.

INCOME: Ticket sales, bar sales and total receipts have all increased again, continuing the success of the previous two years. Total receipts increased by 17% (£168,395 in 2024-25 compared to £143,039 in 2023-24). Notably bar sales increased by 19% (from £22,605 to £26,903) and membership income increased by 78% (from £1,868 to £3,352).

EXPENDITURE: There is a significant increase in the repairs and maintenance costs, this is due to the reupholstering of our 250 seats. We regularly review our providers and suppliers in order to minimise our costs where we can. With thanks to our volunteers who manage the organising and purchasing, this has resulted in an overall decrease in our direct costs. We have invested in volunteer training which will ensure positive and successful experiences. Many of our overheads are beyond our control but we continue to work hard to minimise this.

Overall Net Receipts increased by £18. Closing Funds have therefore increased from £62,146 to £62,164. Which puts us in a good financial position going forwards and continually provide a service for the community and make improvements, investing in the future of the theatre.

Rachel Thomas

Volunteer Report

The year has seen a largely settled team of volunteers in all roles from day box office and Auditorium stewards to Management and Trustee positions.

There have been participants in First Aid and Challenge 25 courses.

Our local Drama Groups were asked to put forward people as volunteers and in the autumn we were joined by 6 new volunteers from those groups, who have settled into the roles for ongoing involvement.

2 experienced volunteers have stepped up to take trustee roles.

The mantra adopted for the 2025/2026 year is Engage, Educate, Empower.

The aim is for everyone on the teams to fully understand the aims and objectives of the organisation and for them to be able to participate in decisions and innovations going forward.

Pauline Smith

Cinema Report

Over the past year we have shown a variety of films that have included real life stories, book adaptations and a musical biography.

Cost for each film - £136.74, this is for the Filmbank licence, PRS and advertising posters.

Attendees this year – 648, of which 144 used their membership movie voucher and 25 used their membership discount. Cinema overall income ( not including bar sales or ice-cream ) was £2,416.

We have given out over 300 loyalty cards and we hope these will encourage people to attend more often. We hope that using the new projector and screen will enhance the cinema experience going forward.

Julie Munro

Charitable Objectives Report

BTCIO has played an active part in the local community supporting local events, groups, festivals and providing a venue for other charities and their fundraising efforts.

Examples:

Subsidised hire rates for theatre use by other local amateur dramatic groups such as BOADS and South Devon Players

Support for Dramatically Different Youth Theatre Group and Project X Amdram Group within their in-house theatre location.

No charge to Rotary for local fundraising event at the theatre for community cause

Subsidised/no charge for theatre use for Electoral Hustings; Torbay Council Planning meetings.; Community Partnership meeting venue Stalls run at local community events

A core partner in planning the first Festival Of Arts for BRIXHAM (FAB) due to take place in Oct 25. Other core partners are the Library, The Music Factory CIC, The Museum, Kick Up the Arts- all centred with the theatre around Bolton Cross in Brixham

Talks delivered to local community groups

Examples:

To The Good Companions, Brixham Chamber of Commerce , The Soroptomists.

Work with “young people to educate in the arts”

Examples:

Work with Primary Schools. 3 visits from Eden Park Primary. The initial visit to introduce 50 Year 1 (6–7-year-olds) to a big theatre, front and back stage and with onstage fun activities. The second visit to provide all technical and other support for a dress rehearsal at the theatre for 2 plays practiced in school. Year 5 and 6 pupils and teachers provided a full live audience. The third visit to support performances at the theatre in front of a full house of parents/carers, teachers, grandparents and siblings to raise funds for school resources to support learning

Work with Secondary Schools. A visit to the theatre by Year 10 Pupils of Brixham Community College to watch a free performance of Macbeth, their GCSE set text. A question-and-answer session followed.

Vanessa Fitzgerald

Box Office Report

The Box Office remains a crucial link with members and customers wishing to buy tickets without incurring booking fees. We provide information on shows, pass out new members' packs, receive membership forms for processing as well as deal with telephone queries regarding bookings. This year, 24% of our sales transactions were processed by our Box Office volunteers.

The Box Office is open from 10am to 12pm on weekdays, and one hour before every show. We are very fortunate to have 12 dedicated volunteers taking it in turns to work in the Box Office; 7 cover our weekday opening and 5 look after the evening opening before our performances.

Our tickets are also available from Brixham and Churston Libraries, also without a booking fee. This year, 7% of our tickets were sold through this route. We pay the libraries a fee of 10% of the ticket sales to cover their costs in providing this service.

Most of our sales transactions, 69%, are made through TicketSource online. They charge the customer a booking fee to cover their costs, which is standard in the industry.

This year we sold 8,453 tickets for 113 performances, compared with 9,000 tickets for 100 performances last year, a slight reduction in the level of activity.

Statistics:

75 performances in the year (38 performances on sale for the following year)
Total number of tickets sold 8,453
Total ticket revenue £121,677
Total number of sale transactions 4,000
Box Office 1,691 tickets 20% £18,881 16% 961 sales transactions 24%
Libraries 624 tickets 7% £8,674 7% 270 sales transactions 7%
Online 6,138 tickets 73% £94,122 77% 2,769 sales transactions 69%
12 volunteers working in the Box Office – 7 normally doing weekdays and 5 doing evenings and cover

Ian Munro

Membership and Secretary's Report

Membership

The 2024/25 season for memberships has grown way beyond our expectations, with an increase of 71%, bringing our members to 230. (Following an all time high of 133 in 2023/24)

May I take this opportunity to thank the volunteers involved in helping us achieve this fantastic number of memberships. Realistically we have set ourselves a more modest target for the year 2025/26 of 300. Each year we are always looking for help and assistance in the back office, so if you are handy with a keyboard and familiar with word and excel, we would love to welcome you into our admin group, for as little or as many hours as you would like.

This year also we are trialling a new database which will be on our website, for new members to join. Exisiting members will have received a renewal email , which when received requires only a few clicks and you are renewed and we receive the information in real time. It is called membermojo. Do not concern yourself if you are not technically minded, you can still pay at the Box Office during opening hours via Ticketsource.

Additionally , we will support Theatre Stands/Stalls in the Scala Hall , and are always ready to accept new members, renewals, Theatre Bookings and seat sponsorships.

All new members this year will receive their 2 x Cinema Tickets, an 'I Love Brixham Theatre' Bumper Sticker and a Key Ring, along with the other benefits of special member pricing of 10% off ticket sales and a newsletter. Please note some renewals were issued before we received the new merchandise, there will be some available on the night at the AGM, or alternatively email secretary@brixhamtheatre.uk if you wish to receive some.

Once again I would like to thank each and every one of you for your continued support.

Secretary

2024/25 has been very busy in assisting the membership team with the seat sponsorship programme, at present we have pledged 140 Seats, most of which have been purchased . In addition , we are looking into starting Gift Aid to capitalise on Seat Campaign monies received. I have been quite busy this year volunteering in Box Office, Bar, Cinema Group, assisting in Events Bookings and preparing Training Notes where and when they are needed. This coming year Rachel Thomas and myself will revisit and update the Box Office Training Manual. Other than this I just respond wherever is necessary and or needed. But it has been a very busy year.

Dot Vickery

Appendix 1 - Trustee applications

There are two Trustees standing for election for the 2025-2026 year:

John Bennett

I started volunteering with the Theatre in 2024, usually front-of-house, and was co-opted as a Trustee at the start of 2025. Brixham Theatre is a superb community arts asset with many wonderful volunteers and I want to work to keep it vibrant, successful and financially viable.

My work background was as a Chartered Engineer with ICI, working on instrumentation and electrical systems for process control and safety systems in the UK and US. I later worked as a team leader and project manager. In 2000 I started a joint business venture in Accounting and IT systems consultancy. In 2012 my wife and I retired, and we spent a few years in the Med sunshine before restarting UK life in 2023.

I enjoy ‘am-dram’ in plays, sketches and Panto, starting in the early 1980s, and then after retiring. I landed a great role with BOADS in 2024’s ‘Witness for the Prosecution’, and hope for more acting opportunities with Project X. I enjoy hiking, music, wildlife, travel and especially skiing – I was a volunteer Rep for Ski Club of GB between 2003 and 2018.

Rachel Thomas

I joined Brixham Theatre in 2023 to assist the Treasurer with bookkeeping and administration duties. I had recently qualified as an accountant, and this was a great opportunity to gain experience for my career, while helping our lovely community Theatre.

My background has been in working with vulnerable adults, hospitality, and coordinating volunteers. I currently work in a local accounting practice.

Having gained bookkeeping experience at the Theatre, I took on the role of Treasurer and have now stepped up as one of the Trustees. I aim to combine my financial and community experience to ensure that the Theatre meets its charitable & entertainment aims, within the challenging financial environment.

I continue to volunteer in the Theatre box office and bar. I have a ‘can-do’ attitude and help wherever needed. I love being involved with the Theatre and have met some wonderful people along the way.

Appendix 2 - Voting slip

th June BRIXHAM THEATRE CIO AGM 25 2025

Please complete ALL sections:

1	Do you accept BTCIO’s Statement of Accounts for the Financial Year 2024-2025?	YES/NO
2	Do you accept BTCIO’s Annual Report for 2024-2025?	YES/NO
3	Do you accept the two new Trustee applications for BTCIO?	YES/NO

4 Any additional resolutions to be put forward at the AGM on 25[th] June 2025?

Any comments you may wish to make?

NAME OF MEMBER ___________ (PLEASE PRINT)

SIGNATURE ___________

DATE ______ Membership No ________

N.B. Please return your completed voting paper to the secretary@brixhamtheatre.uk or by post to Dot Vickery, c/o Accounting & General Ltd, 16 Stoke Gabriel Road, Galmpton, Brixham, TQ5 0NQ. If you have problems with this request, please contact The Box Office on 01803 415987. Thank you for your interest and support!

Charlty Number: 1178208 ixham Theatre CIO Income and ExpeTrdithre Account For the Year Ending 31st March 2025 ACCOUNTING & GENERAL LTD Chartered Certified Accountants

BRIXHAM THEATrE CIO INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 ADDRESS Brixham Theatre CIO New Road Brimham Devon TQ5 8TA ACCOUNTANTS AcrountinR & General 16 Stoke Gabriel Road Galmpion BRIXHAM TQ5 ONQ Pa8e Accountants Report Income and Expenditure 8alan¢e Sheei Fixed Assets Schedule and Notes

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BRIXHAM THEATRE CIO BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 MARCH 2025 3tst Marfh 2025 31st March 2024 Notes INTANGIBLE ASSETS Website 4,626 4.626 FIXED ASSETS Leasehold Fixtures. fittings, and equipment Computer equipment 3,420 20.930 309 3.839 19.933 386 24.158 24.659 29,285 28,784 CURRENT ASSETS Bank current account (Mainl Bank iurrent account (Clubl PayPal Cash Debtors 36,484 32,427 95 95 io 915 1.464 1,817 150 1.674 1,697 2.014 150 1,988 Prepayments Filmbank deposlt Stock 42.694 40,286 CURRENT UABILITIES Income received in VanCe Accrua15 6.366 3,449 2,042 4,882 9.815 6,924 NET ASSETS Opening Fund5 Net Receipt5 Restricted Funds Closing Fund5 62.146 18 50.973 11.173 62.164 Slgned.... SIBned .-.......................................... Trustee Name . Page 3

BRIXHAM THEATRE CIO FIXED ASSETS SCHEDULE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2025 Furniture. Fitbngs, and Equipment Leasehold Propeity Website Equipment Totsl COST At 1 April 2024 Additions 4.626 6,2B2 31.681 753 43 342 6.099 At 31 March 2025 282 75 DEPRECIATION Al 1 April 2024 Charge lor year 2.443 41 11.748 367 14.557 5.598 At 31 March 2025 NET BOOK VALUE At 31 March 2025 At 31 Maich 2024 NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED31 MARCH 2025 l During the year, £10,099 was spent on capital expenditure. The following grants were received re13tin8 to the purchase of the new projector.. £2,000 from Brixham Town Council. £2,000 from The Lewis Trust. Page 4

Charlty Number: 1178208 ixham Theatre CIO Income and ExpeTrdithre Account For the Year Ending 31st March 2025 ACCOUNTING & GENERAL LTD Chartered Certified Accountants

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